Fruit-drier.



W. REID.

FRUIT DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1912.

Patented Mar.

O 6 1 w a, 1 7

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM REID, OF KAW, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM E. VASBINDER, OF SIMMONS, TEXAS.

FRUIT-DRIER.

Application filed July 1, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, WILLIAM REID, a c1t1- Zen of the United States, residing at Kaw city, in the county of Kay and State of Oklahoma have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Briers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for holding fruit, seeds and the like, to be dried, and particularly to a device of this character which comprises a series of hinged trays adapted to be folded into small compact form.

An important object is to provide means whereby the contents of one tray are prevented from mixing with the contents of the adjacent tray.

Another object is to provide locking means adapted to prevent the accidental opening of the trays when swung into their closed position.

A further object is to provide a device of this character described which is simple and cheap in construction, and efficient in operation.

Other objects and advantages will be made apparent during the course of the following description.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device in closed position, Fig. 2 is a plan view extended, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2, Fig. i is a sectional view on the line M of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a' perspective view of one of the locking bars.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numerals 1, 2, 3 and at designate trays, comprising rectangular frames consisting of side bars 5 and end bars 6. The corners of the frames are reinforced with braces T, and the bottom of the trays consists of preferably sheet metal plates 8. The outer trays 1 and 4c are provided with transverse bars 9. The inner trays 2 and 3 are hinged together at the bottom of their adjacent sides as shown at 10. The outer trays 1 and a are hingedly secured to the inner trays 2 and 3 as shown at 11. By this struo- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24:, 1914.

Serial No. 707,042.

ture it will be apparent that the outer trays may be swung over upon the inner trays and the inner trays may be swung together with their bottoms together, as shown in Fig. 1. In order to hold the trays in this closed position, I provide latch members 12 pivoted upon the ends of the tray 1, and adapted to engage keepers 13 on the ends of the tray L.

In order to prevent the contents of the outer trays from mixing with the contents of the inner trays, I provide plates 14 adapted to fit within the rectangular frames of the end trays. These plates are supported by the transverse bars 9, are retained in position by strips 15 which pass through openings in the side bars 5, and over the plates 1 1 adjacent their ends. In order to facilitate the removal and insertion of the strips, I provide them with angular heads 16. It will be understood that I may omit the bars 9 in the end trays, or provide all of the trays with them, to obtain as many compartments as desired.

The operation of my device is as follows: The device is opened and the fruit, seeds or the like are placed in the trays. The plates 1% are then inserted in the end trays over the contents, the strips 15 are put into place, and the outer trays are swung over upon the inner ones. The two sections are then swun back until their bottoms are in contact, and the latches 12 are engaged with the keepers 13.

It will be understood that various changes in the shape, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or limiting the scope of the claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

A fruit drier comprising four trays connected together by hinges; said hinges being located on the lower portions of the adjacent sides of the inner trays near the outer ends thereof and on the upper edges of the adjacent sides of the inner and outer trays, respectively, near their outer ends, whereby the outer trays may be swung into inverted positions upon the inner trays and the inner trays swung rearwardly in contact with each other, the open tops of said trays being of the same dimensions as the inside of the bot-toms thereof, and means Within said ing transversely of saidtrays and in openouter trays for preventing the displacement ings in the upper edges of their sides. 10 of fruit When they are inverted, said means In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my comprising plates of the same size as the insignature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

5 terior of said trays and adapted to be sup- WILLIAM REID.

ported by the contents of the trays and re- Witnesses: movable bodily therefrom, and removable H. E. GUY, strips disposed upon said plates and extend- G. W. NEWooMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

